Famous Last Words
by RinsDarkMagician
Summary: During the time of the Great Depression America desperately needs a friend to remind him that it's not over for him yet.


**Once again...sleepy, sleepy, sleepy. I haven't written in a while. I haven't had the motivation or drive to do so. However, today was really rainy and I was complaining about it to a friend. She told me to not let the rain bother me, let it inspire me. So...here's the result of me taking that advice ^_^ **

The once loud and bustling streets were now silent and lonesome. It wasn't too long ago that flappers, drunkards, young lovers, and rambunctious teenagers filled the streets with their laughter and shouting. All of that was gone in the blink of an eye.

America walked the down the desolate streets, his own laughter escaping his mouth. He didn't know why he was laughing. He couldn't control it. He only laughed harder as it started pouring heavy rain. He wandered along with no destination, his thoughts a jumbled and incoherent mess. He covered his face with his hands and slid to the ground, his laughter dwindling down to small giggles and then to nothing.

"What have I done?"

He sat in the rain and tried to figure this whole thing out. Where did he go wrong? What was the turning point and how did he not realize it was coming? This wasn't just a tiny mistake; the entire world was suffering and it was all his fault.

"It's all my fault. It's really all my fault."

After working so hard to become independent and proving to the world that he was a force to be reckoned with, America now had to face the fact that he threw the world into economic turmoil and would be lucky to get out of it alive.

"America?"

America snickered. "Great. Now I'm hearing things," he said without taking his hands away from his face.

"America!"

The young nation jumped at the feel of someone roughly grabbing his shoulder. He stared at the hand for a moment before following the arm up to the owner's face. He found himself staring into the eyes of his former mentor, England.

"I'm so glad I found you." England said, giving a heavy sigh of relief. "Are you all right?"

It took America a few moments to register what England had said. He blinked a few times before nodding slowly, a small and forced smile appearing on his face. "Of course I'm all right! Never better!"

England scowled as he resisted the urge to punch his friend in the face. Now was not the time for America to be acting strong. Doing that would only serve to cloud his judgment and possibly cause him to make even more bad decisions.

"Why are you out here?" England asked him, better observing the scenery of the empty street.

"Where else is there to go?" America asked him back, the smile never leaving his face.

England just shook his head and stood up, grabbing America by the arm and forcing him to stand with him. "We need to get out of this rain. Come on. I managed to find a hotel and I'm staying there for now. You're coming with me."

America hid the shock of hearing that all of the hotels in the area hadn't already closed down. He had seen several hotels close and more than a few businesses close down as well.

As they walked they had passed many people who had been forced to leave their homes and live on the streets. Men, women, and children were huddled together to keep each other warm in the cold rain, all of them hoping and praying for this catastrophe to end. America hid his face as he walked past them. He was too ashamed to look at his people. It was he who had caused this and now they were paying the price.

America was reluctant to walk into the hotel after just seeing all those people who wouldn't have beds to sleep in. Even though the hotel wasn't grand it was still more than what most of these people had.

England could feel America's hesitation as they approached the hotel, but he wasn't going to let that stop him. He dragged the younger country along and though he could sense how upset he was he forced him inside. England took a deep breath, glad to finally be out of the rain. He motioned for America to follow him and together they walked up the stairs and down the hall to England's hotel room.

"I'll get us some towels." He said when they were inside the room.

America nodded, though he ignored his friend and walked straight to the windows of the room. He looked outside and could see more people sitting in the rain. His heart sank as he thought that those poor people should be in the warm hotel room, not him. He was about to touch the glass when suddenly the curtains blocked his view of the city. He looked next to him to see it was England who drew the curtains. He silently held up a towel to the young country, hoping he wasn't too proud to accept his kind gesture.

"Thanks," America said as he took it.

"You can borrow some of my clothes since the ones you're in now are soaking wet. I'm going to change too." England said as he walked away to his suitcase full of clothing.

"Oh, no thanks. I'll be fine in these."

The thunder roared outside as England shook his head and tossed clothes in America's direction. "You're changing! You'll get sick if you stay in those wet clothes."

"Why are you even here?" America snapped, mistaking England's concern for scolding. "Don't you have something to be doing back at your house?"

England's stomach churned as America said that. What a vile, insulting, and unappreciative thing to say! His upper lip shook and his breathing got harder as he stalked towards the other country and roughly snatched away the towel he had just given him.

"How dare you," England said in a small voice. He glared into America's eyes with all of the anger and hurt he could muster. "How...dare...you... Do you honestly think I don't have something better I could be doing?" The normally calm Brit was now yelling, almost screaming. "I could be home trying to fix the economic mess you caused but no! I'm came here to check on you and see how you were doing. I came as soon as I could. I came as soon as I was sure my people would be all right in my absence. I was worried about you so I dropped what I was doing and came here and this is the thanks I get!"

America stared at England, regretting what he had said. He almost forgot he wasn't the only one with problems. England was one of the countries going through the same thing he was, yet he took the time out to come and see him. He had spent the money (the precious and scarce money) to come to America and even rent a hotel room, all just to check on his friend.

"I'm...I'm sorry, England."

"You're damn right you're sorry!" England yelled, shoving the towel into America's chest. He walked away and began to unbutton his shirt. America sat on the small couch that sat against the wall. He stared into nothing as the most horrible emotions took him over.

"I'm so, so sorry."

A sigh came from England as he stopped unbuttoning his shirt to pinch the bridge of his nose. "It's all right, America," he said in a low voice.

America shook his head. "It's all my fault. I'm the reason everyone is poor and hungry. I'm the reason families lost their homes, their jobs, their livelihoods! But, I mean...I'm America! I can fix this. I can fix this. I can fix this..."

England turned to stare at his friend. The broken man in front of him was almost unrecognizable as the once proud America. England had watched America grow and prosper into a rich and vibrant country. There were plenty of hardships that stood in the way, but the young nation overcame them all and stood proudly. However, now it seemed that this obstacle had conquered and defeated America.

"It's not your fault," England said as he sat down on the couch next to his friend.

"Yes, it is," America said with a bitter laugh.

"The problem just originated here. You didn't cause the whole issue," England said, trying his best to cheer his friend up.

"The whole world is suffering and it's my fault. I did something wrong and my friends are paying the consequences. I'll fix it though! I promise you I'll make everything right again!"

"America, please..."

"I just...I don't...I don't know how." America said, his voice cracking.

England shook his head as he put his arm around America's shoulder. "No crying now," he said gently. "There's no crying in economics and politics. You know that."

America turned his body so he could hide his face in England chest. He desperately grabbed a hold of England's unbuttoned shirt and clung to it like he would never let go.

"I ruined everything. I'm so sorry. I'm so, so sorry. I'm sorry."

England bit his bottom lip and took a deep breath, trying to hide how much he wanted to cry simply because his best friend was so distraught. "Things will get better. You've overcome so many trials before this. This won't be the thing to do you in, America."

"I should have just stuck with you," America said between his tears. "I should have never become independent."

England snorted. "Now you regret that decision?" He decided to be a bit more considerate towards America's feelings. Sarcasm wasn't needed right now. "As much as it hurt me that you left," England started. "You are an excellent country. You fought hard for your place as an independent nation and worked to make the entire world recognize you as a powerful entity. Your people are proud to live with you and are arrogant simply because they can say 'I am American.' It takes a lot to make people love you that much, doesn't it?"

"But...I..."

"And tomorrow, old friend, you're going to stand up and start getting things back on track! You'll get your arrogant, obnoxious self back into your office and sort this out." England touched America under his chin and brought his face upwards to be eye level with his own. He rested his forehead against his friend's and smiled. "It'll take a while. This is no easy fix, however we're all going to help each other out. We'll do what we can to make things right again. This isn't the end for you, America. This isn't the end for any of us."

England wanted to cry aloud with joy as America actually gave him a genuine smile. He could see in the young nation's eyes that he was still hurt and even still a little shook up, but there was a new resolve as well. America was ready to stand up as the prideful nation he was, take responsibility, and get things back to the way they were. England had never felt more proud of him.

"Now change!" England said, standing up. "We're both still soaking wet. Ugh, we might catch cold."

"Hey..."

The older nation turned back to America, curious as to what else he could possibly have to say.

"Thank you."


End file.
